influential and striking, goes straight to the heart. Reading these poems has been a rich emotional and spiritual experience for me. Having absorbed the aura of brilliance radiated by erudite themes, I felt compelled, to write a critical analysis of the book. For doing so, I tried reaching out the mind and soul creating those poems.’
( Bridging the Gaps/ Nazish Zafar/ p: 7 )
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‘Like all sensitive people, I was flabbergasted by the 9/11 incident. In my state of frustration and mental hysteria, I was comforted by the presence of another lover of humanity. I was lucky to be introduced to my American friend, Alice Alley Ann Muhaphay… Alley Boling. She was impressed with my literary approach, innovative ideas and creative skills, and insisted upon translating my poetry into English. She urged the need of bringing out the ideas of universal concern in a language understood by the most around the globe. A voice rising from the east could now echo in the west. A phenomena that brought me great joy and satisfaction…..Afzal Shauq’
(Bridging The Gaps/Nazish Zafar/P: 13-14)
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‘Afzal Shauq upholds the enlightened Zoroaster’s teaching, as propounded in the scripture – – Zhand – Avesta, about light and darkness. Light, he says, signifies the Good and darkness, the Evil. Both are at ceaseless war, against each other since time immemorial. It is the light, which will ultimately triumph. Zoroaster preached that Ormazd is the Lord of goodness, Light and Creator of mankind. He identified the deity of darkness and evil, as Ahriman. In Persian language and literature, Ahriman still stands for Satan, while Ormazd has been turned into Yazdan, meaning